Saved & Scheduled Exports

Running the same export every month? Save your File Export settings as an export definition, and next time it’s one click to load them. Go a step further and schedule the export, and it runs by itself.

When to use this

Save a definition for any export you’ll repeat, like a monthly extract for ACME or a weekly file to an SFTP site. Schedule it when the file needs to go out on a regular timetable without anyone remembering to run it.

Permission Requirements

Anyone who can open a data store can use, change and delete its export definitions. You can schedule exports from any definition you can see, but you can only change or delete schedules you created.

For the export settings themselves, see Export data.

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Export definitions

An export definition saves everything in the File Export window: the variables, dates (including presets like Start Of Last Month), format options, survey filters, file name and destinations.

Definitions belong to the data store, so everyone who can open it sees the same list.

Saved definitions include passwords

If you’ve set a Password (with Password protect file) or an SFTP Password, it’s saved in the definition. Anyone who can open the data store can load the definition and use it. Think twice before saving passwords in a definition on a widely shared data store.

The definition controls sit below the File Export steps, on every step. Apart from the DataStore Export Definition list, they’re icons: hover over one to see its name. Until you select a definition, only Clear Selection and Add New Definition show. The rest appear once a definition is selected.

Control	Icon	What it does
DataStore Export Definition	—	Choose a saved definition to load its settings
Clear Selection	Refresh	Clear the selected definition and reload the list
Add New Definition	Plus	Save the current settings as a new definition
Save	Disk	Overwrite the selected definition with the current settings
Rename	Pencil	Rename the selected definition
Delete	Trash	Delete the selected definition
Manage Scheduled Datastore Exports	Clock	Schedule the selected definition

The buttons are turned off until you’ve chosen at least one variable.

Save a new definition

1. Set up the export - Work through the File Export steps as usual. See Export data.
2. Click Add New Definition - It’s the plus icon. The Create Export Definition dialog suggests a name like “New Export 20261003_1430”. Change it to something you’ll recognize.
3. Click OK - The definition is added to the DataStore Export Definition list. Select it to work with it.

Use, update or remove a definition

• Load it: choose it from DataStore Export Definition. Every step fills in. If a saved variable no longer exists, or is now excluded from exports, you’re told which ones.
• Update it: change the settings, then click Save (the disk icon). It overwrites the definition straight away, with no confirmation.
• Rename it: click Rename (the pencil icon), change the Name and click OK.
• Delete it: click Delete (the trash icon) and confirm.

Deleting a definition doesn’t stop its schedules

Scheduled exports run from their definition. Delete or disable a definition’s schedules before you delete the definition itself.

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Scheduled exports

A scheduled export runs a definition on a timetable. Each run uses the definition’s current settings, so updating the definition changes future runs.

Schedule an export

1. Select a definition - Choose it from DataStore Export Definition.

2. Click Manage Scheduled Datastore Exports - It’s the clock icon, which appears once a definition is selected. The Manage Scheduled Datastore Exports window lists the definition’s existing schedules.

3. Start a new schedule - Next to Create new Scheduled Datastore Export, click Next. Give the schedule a Name and click OK.

4. Set the timetable -

   • Start: the first date it can run.
   • Repeat: Daily, Weekly, Monthly or Yearly, and how often (for example every 2 weeks, on Monday).
   • At: the time of day, in your own time zone.
   • End: Never, On This Day, or After a number of runs.

   A summary underneath, “Occurs every…”, tells you what you’ve set up.

5. Click Save - The schedule appears in the list.

Daylight saving

A new schedule keeps the time and days you chose in the time zone you created it in, even when daylight saving starts or ends. An export set for 08:30 on Mondays still runs at 08:30 on Mondays. If someone edits the schedule from another time zone, it keeps its original time zone.

“The process will start as specified but the time to complete may vary due to system queue activity.”

Who gets the file

A scheduled export runs as the person who created the schedule:

• Direct download files appear on the creator’s Exports page.
• The creator gets the notification when it finishes or fails.
• File Bank, SFTP and other destinations work as set in the definition.

Manage your schedules

The list shows each schedule’s Export Name, Frequency, Description and Owner. For schedules you created, you can:

• Edit the timetable
• Disable it to pause, or Enable it to start again
• Delete it
• Rename it by clicking its Export Name

Schedules other people created are shown, but you can’t change them.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who can see my export definitions?

Everyone who can open the data store. Definitions are shared, and anyone with access can load, change or delete them.

Does a scheduled export pick up changes to the definition?

Yes. Each run uses the definition’s current settings.

How do relative dates like Start Of Last Month work in a schedule?

They’re worked out each time the export runs, so a monthly export set to Start Of Last Month to Start Of This Month always covers the previous month.

Why can’t I edit someone else’s schedule?

Only the person who created a schedule can change it. Ask them, or create your own schedule from the same definition.

Where does a scheduled direct download go?

To the Exports page of the person who created the schedule.

Why are the definition buttons turned off?

Choose at least one variable on the Variables step first.

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Common Issues and Solutions

”’…’ excluded from export due to PII handling.”

A variable in the definition has since been excluded from exports.

1. Carry on - The variable is left out of the export.
2. Save the definition - Click Save so the message doesn’t come back.

”Error loading Export Definition.”

The definition couldn’t be loaded.

1. Reload the list - Click Clear Selection, then choose the definition again.
2. Contact support - If it keeps failing, contact support through Help in the header bar. Include the data store’s name and GUID (copy it from the data store’s Settings).

”An error occurred creating the scheduled datastore export.”

The schedule couldn’t be saved.

1. Check the dates - Make sure Start is set and, if you chose On This Day, that the end date is after the start.
2. Try again - Then contact support if it keeps failing. Quote the number at the end of the message, and the data store’s name and GUID (copy it from the data store’s Settings).

”An error occurred saving the scheduled datastore export.”

Your changes to the schedule weren’t saved. This happens when:

• someone saved the same schedule after you opened it, for example in another browser tab
• you changed the timing (time, days, start or end) while an earlier export from this schedule is still waiting to run

1. Refresh the page - Then open the schedule again with Edit. You’ll see the latest saved version.
2. Make your change again - If it still fails, an earlier export is probably waiting to run. Wait for it to run, then try again.
3. Contact support - If it keeps failing, quote the number at the end of the message, and the data store’s name and GUID.